Golf club putter fitting apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for fitting individual golfers for golf putters provides for determining the balanced position of the putter shaft relative to the putter head. The proper angle of the putter shaft relative to the putter head horizontal axis is measured for the particular golfer, and this measured angle is utilized to determine the point of attachment of the putter shaft on the horizontal axis of the putter head. The determined values are then employed to manufacture a &#34;face balanced&#34; putter for that particular golfer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to golf club putter fitting methodsand equipment, and relates in particular to such methods and equipmentwhich provide for fitting of a golf club putter to each individual forthe optimum adjustment of both the location on the horizontal axis ofthe putter head at which the putter shaft is effectively joined theretoand the angle at which the putter shaft meets the putter head to providethe ideal balance to the putter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

There has been extensive activity over the years in attempting todevelop golf club products which optimize the effectiveness of theclubs' performance for the average golfer. The majority of this efforthas been directed to the design of "fairway" golf clubs, i.e., woods andirons, and relatively little emphasis has been given to the design ofputters. Considering that putters account for approximately half of thestrokes in an average golfer's performance, it is appropriate thatincreased attention be paid to optimizing putter design andpersonalizing such design to each individual golfer's needs.

Among the prior art patents relating to golf club design are thefollowing:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,951, Grant, is directed to a golf club whichprovides for adjustment of the club shaft length, the angle or loft ofthe club face relative to the club shaft, the position of the putterhead horizontally relative to the point of attachment of the puttershaft to the putter head, and the angle of the club shaft relative tothe horizontal axis of the club head.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,888, Nardozzi, shows a golf putter in which thehorizontal position of the putter head relative to the putter shaft isadjustable by means of a guideway in the top of the putter head whichengages a mating shoulder on the lower end of the putter shaft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a putter fitting system is providedwhich can be used to determine the optimum value of parameters of theputter for each individual golfer being fitted, and these determinedvalues can be transferred to a permanent putter which is fabricated onthe basis of these determined values.

In a first step in the present process, an individual to be fitted holdsa fitting putter member including a putter shaft, a putter head and anadjustable hosel member connecting the shaft to the putter head, thehosel member having two components which are movable relative to eachother. The individual holds the shaft of the fitting putter member intheir normal putting grip and stance, with the putter head adjustablyattached to the hosel member at approximately the center of the putterhead along its longitudinal axis. This position results in approximatelyan even distribution of the putter head weight along the putter headlongitudinal axis on each side of the point of attachment of the hoselmember to the putter head. With the golfer still gripping the fittingmember shaft, the angle between a vertical line through the center ofthe putter head and the axial axis of the shaft is adjusted to providethe optimum fit for the particular golfer's putting stance. Oncedetermined, this optimum angle is temporarily fastened by clampingtogether the adjustable components of the hosel member.

Following this, the determined optimum angle between the putter shaftaxis and the vertical axis of the putter head is utilized to establishthe proper point for permanently attaching the putter head to the hoselmember and shaft. This produces a "face balanced" putter head whichresults in an optimum mechanical structure for imparting maximumaccuracy to a resulting putt. After the fitting process is completed,the determined values of the shaft/putter head angle and the attachmentpoint of the hosel member to the putter head are transferred to thefabrication of a permanent putter for that golfer. The fittingcomponents used therein may then be reused in subsequent fittings forother golfers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating the components used in the fittingsystem of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the fitting putter head and theattachment of the adjustable hosel member thereto;

FIG. 3 is a top view showing additional details of the putter head andhosel member;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the fitting plate used in the invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the fitting plate; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the components of the fitting system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the fitting system of this invention includes afitting putter head 11 and a hosel member 14 having a lower hosel member14a and an upper hosel member 14f. Upper member 14f is rotatable aboutthe vertical axis of lower member 14a around a fitting and adjustablenut 14h and associated screw (FIG. 2) which extends through members 14a,14f. The system also includes a fitting shaft 27 which engages the upperend of upper hosel member 14f and is gripped by the golfer to be fitted.The system further includes a fitting plate 21 which is engagable withputter head 11 and can be moved along the horizontal axis thereof duringfitting.

An indicator arm 23a movable with a vane 26 around a pivot shaft 24moves across a graduated scale 28 on plate 21, and the position on scale28 of the tip of arm 23a when vane 26 is resting against shaft 27(FIG. 1) provides a measure of the proper slope of shaft 27 relative tothe vertical axis of putter head 11. The reading on scale 28 thenprovides an indication of the amount of the angle (a) to be incorporatedinto the finished putter. This indication is used in conjunction with anindex mark 11d on the side of putter head 11 to determine the properpoint for attaching hosel member 14 to putter head 11, as will bedescribed in more detail below.

Putter head 11 has a keyed slot 11a extending along the length thereoffor slidably receiving a key 14b (FIGS. 2 and 3) on the bottom of lowermember hosel member 14a. Initially, key 14b (and hosel 14) arepositioned in keyed slot 11a so that the vertical axis of hosel member14a is located at a midpoint 11c along the length of putter head 11.Upper hosel member 14f can rotate relative to lower hosel head member14a around an adjustable fitting nut and shaft 14h to vary the angle (a)(shown in FIG. 1) between a vertical line and the axis along the lengthof shaft 27. This rotation (indicated by arrows 20 in FIG. 1) occursaround an axis extending through the upper end of lower hosel member 14aand the lower end of upper hosel member 14f.

Shaft 27 is gripped by the golfer to be fitted and the shaft and putterhead 11 are placed in the normal stance of putting for that golfer,including adjustment of angle (a). When the desired shaft-to hosel anglefor that golfer is established, fitting nut 14h is tightened to firmlyclamp upper hosel member 14f and shaft 27 in the selected angularposition relative to lower hosel member 14a.

Next, angle measuring plate 21 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 6) having a key 21a on aportion of the bottom thereof is inserted into putter head keyed slot11a. Plate 21 carries a pair of movable indicator arm 23a, 23b (FIGS. 5and 6) which are pivotally attached to plate 21 by fastening means 24.As described above, the upper ends of arms 23a and 23b carry vane member26 which can be adjusted by the fitter to bear against golf shaft 27.Plate 21 has a stepped region 21b (FIGS. 1 and 4) to permit at least aportion of plate end surface 21c to bear against the vertical portion oflower hosel member 14a. The angle (a) of shaft 27 relative to thevertical is transmitted by vane 26 through movement of arms 23a, 23b tothe graduated scale markings 28 on both faces of plate 21.

Key 21a and plate 21 slide in key slot 11a in putter head 11 and arepushed against key 14b to urge key 14b, hosel members 14a, 14f and shaft27 (to the left in FIG. 1) until the upper end of vane 26 bears againstshaft 27. Shaft 27 and upper hosel member 14f had previously been lockedin angular position relative to lower hosel member 14a by nut 14h afteradjusting the angle (a) to the individual's putting stance. Thishorizontal movement of plate 21, key 14b, hosel members 14a, 14f andshaft 27 continues until the measured angle on scale 28, determined asdescribed above, is aligned with mark 11d on the face of putter head 11.

After achieving the face balanced position of the putter head, a screw14c mounted in a spring steel member 14d on the side of lower hoselmember 14a is tightened into one of the recesses 11f spaced along thehorizontal axis of putter head 11, to lock key 14b and putter head 11together for the rest of the fitting operation. Spring steel member 14dis secured to hosel member 14a by a fastener 14e.

If, based on an individual golfer's preference, it is desired to addadditional weight to the putter head after the above described fittingand balancing operations, this may be accomplished by adding incrementsof weight to the top of lower hosel member 14a until the putter has theappropriate "feel" for that golfer. This added amount of weight may thenbe added to the hosel of the finished putter.

If it is desired to provide for adjustment of the length of the puttershaft for different golfer's height and putting stance, this may beaccomplished, for example, in the manner shown in the above describedU.S. Pat. No. 4,736,951, in which the measured shaft length may bevaried to provide the desired fit.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings shows how the presentinvention may be used with right-handed golfers, as indicated by thelegend shown on one side of plate 21. For left-handed golfers, the samefitting equipment may be employed, utilizing indicator arm 23b and ascale similar to scale 28 on the reverse side of plate 21, with anindication on that side of plate 21 that that side is for use withleft-handed golfers. In the case of left-handed golfers, plate 21 andkey 21a are inserted into key slot 11a from left to right so that vane26 bears against shaft 27 as it is held by a left-handed golfer in aputting stance.

Although the invention has been illustrated with a particularconfiguration of putter head, it will be understood that otherconfigurations of putter heads may be employed with equal effectiveness.The important requirement is that the fitting equipment employed providefor horizontal positioning of the putter head relative to the puttershaft, and for adjusting the angle of the putter shaft relative to avertical axis through the putter head.

I claim:
 1. A system for fitting golf club putters to individualgolfers, comprisinga putter head having a horizontal axis; a hoselmember having a vertical axis and an upper end and a lower end, saidlower end being attachable to said putter head on said horizontal axisthereof; means for adjusting the location of attachment of said hoselmember on said putter head horizontal axis; a shaft member having alower end and an upper end and an axis extending therebetween, means forattaching said lower end of said shaft member to said upper end of saidhosel member; means for adjusting the angle between said axis of saidshaft member and said vertical axis of said hosel member; means fordetermining said adjusted angle between said axis of said shaft memberand said vertical axis of said hosel member; and means for fixing thelocation on said putter head horizontal axis of the attachment of saidhosel member to said putter head based on said determined adjustedangle.
 2. A system in accordance with claim 1 in which said means fordetermining said adjusted angle includes means movable along saidhorizontal axis of said putter head to contact said shaft member.
 3. Asystem in accordance with claim 2 in which said movable means includesan arm for bearing against said shaft member.
 4. A system in accordancewith claim 3 including indicator means movable with said arm forproviding a measure of said adjusted angle.
 5. A system in accordancewith claim 2 including means for determining said adjusted angle forboth right handed and left handed golfers.